The Martyr
by PunnyPunkin
Summary: Katniss Everdeen will forever be the face of the Rebellion but as she learned, the Rebellion itself has had many faces and many martyrs. She becomes very close with one.
1. Chapter 1

District 5 had a constant hum. A low and inescapable rumble at a pitch that annoyed every visitor but had somehow been long forgotten by the residents that fell like fog from the power towers sprinkled throughout the city. Rumor had it that the hum had never been ignored by residents of District 5, but rather it had incorporated so deeply in their everyday life they heard it everywhere. Victors that left on the Victor Tour heard it in the back of their mind, Tributes heard it in the stark silence of the arenas, and it was as much a part of the residents as was their heartbeat. To top of the annoyingly steady hum, various buildings down various alleyways would thump and drone on with electric noises set to various beats and times in a weak attempt to create music while colored lights flashed over purposefully darkened rooms allowing bodies to move so close together it was almost pointless to even consider yourself a singular being.

It was a therapy to most, a way to feel closer to people rather than trying to actually converse with those around you and for the few Victors in District 5 it was a way to avoid the constant questions about their survival and strategy. Victors seemed to have a much harder time falling back into a simple routine and so a room full of blinding lights and numbing noise was the only place where even the Capitol couldn't get you. Thoughts were erased, memories put on back burners and the only sensation that was comprehensible was how the low bass and electronic noise literally tore through the body and changed your very heartbeat. Some people thought the sensation was how being electrocuted would feel; how the sound would vibrate through your very bones and cause your heart to skip or speed up, but it was hardly close. Being electrocuted was painful and more often than not deadly.

Rodyn was usually one of the first in the doors and one of the last out at such a place, but tonight she sat on the darkened porch of her Victor's home watching the electric lines crisscross through her District. Sometimes there would be a spark near a pole where the current was being dispersed to a home or building in the District but for the most part it was just something stable and unchanging she could watch and not have fade away. So few things were constant in her life; so little things absolute and unchanging that even something as simple as power lines brought on a comfort.

"You weren't in town tonight," a sweet voice bubbled from behind her. Rodyn glanced over her shoulder as the blonde slowly crept around her house to step up onto the porch. Her heels made strange hollowed sounds on the weathered wood as she walked to the place Rodyn sat on the banister, a mug of tea clutched between her hands. "I almost didn't believe you were up either, thought you had run off again," she teased while leaning against the banister on her forearms. Rodyn didn't look away from the landscape she was staring at, mentally making note of every little roll of land and dip of valley. The part of Five Rodyn lived in was close to the mountains which she could see in the distance, but she wasn't sure how she felt about being closer to the Capitol. A part of her wanted to be as far as she could, even if it meant having less and less to eat and live on.

"I didn't really feel like it tonight, Electra," Rodyn said lifting the mug to her lips. Electra shrugged her shoulders while pouting her lips carelessly,

"Oh I didn't mind either way, I just heard you were venturing from your mansion and thought you'd be there." She smiled when she referred to Rodyn's Victor house as a mansion and Rodyn spared a grateful laugh. She shook her head while looking at the hands tangled together in her lap before smiling at the blonde woman beside her.

Electra was nothing like the girl Rodyn volunteered for so many years ago, Electra had grown up. Neither of them were the girls they had been, Rodyn in different ways and Electra in more obvious ways. The once quiet and self-aware girl had grown into a friendly and carefree woman, throwing caution to the wind and trusting those around her to care for her, as Rodyn had. Rodyn had lost her childish nature in the arena but it didn't quiet her rebellious and confident charm. They were good for each other; Electra convincing Rodyn to lose herself in a dance or a drink or even just a laugh and Rodyn teaching Electra how to be aware and safe when she was on her own.

The natural hum of the District fell a bit heavier as a silence accumulated between the two. Electra threw a leg over the banister to sit beside her friend as they looked out to the hazy mountain silhouette in the distance. Electra pulled her sunshine colored hair over a shoulder and lightly kicked her feet while Rodyn leaned forward against her knees. Rodyn wavy dark hair caught lift in a breeze and she crinkled her nose a bit. She wasn't sure why, but to her the air in District 5 smelled off. And felt off. There was just a constant electricity to the air that always had her ready to jump out of her skin, so badly that she sometimes wished she could get back into an Arena, if only for a moment of fresh and still air; if only for a moment of clarity where her head wasn't buzzing and her skin wasn't crawling. Maybe then she could get her life in order, set her mind back in place.

"They announced the terms of the Quarter Quell," Electra said nonchalantly, to make conversation. Rodyn looked at her with dark eyes shining as she asked in disbelief,

"Really? Already?" It hadn't felt that long since the last Quell, or was it that time had just lost meaning to her and therefore she didn't really keep track of nights brightening to day and day darkening into a music filled night? Electra just nodded while smacking her lips absently. Of course she had little opinion on the matter of Games. Rodyn was the only one she had ever known to be chosen and she was old enough now that she wouldn't be in the drawing, but it was still talk of the District as the Games usually were and so Electra had to share with someone.

"Yep and they announced the little trick for this year, like the um-," she faltered on the word.

"Gimmick?"

"Yes! Yes they announced the gimmick," she said nodding in agreement, her white teeth shining in the fluorescent lighting of District 5. Rodyn tilted her head towards Electra with eyebrows raised in anticipation. She never was a very patient woman and Electra loved to push her tolerance to the edge. Electra hummed as if she was unaware Rodyn wanted to know the rest of the announcement then grinned as Rodyn's exasperated groan, "Yes, yes, impatient. Well I don't think you're going to like it," Electra confessed with a genuine frown creasing her usually uplifted features. Rodyn frowned praying it wasn't a change on the ages of Tributes or demanding more children than the District could offer. The worst year of her life was when the Quell was double the Tributes selected and she had to watch so many young kids die. She couldn't bear it another year if that was what Snow had planned. Electra shifted a bit before she looked Rodyn in the eye simply yet gently saying, "All the Tributes will be selected from past Victors. You'll be in the drawing again."

Rodyn studied Electra a moment, processing her thoughts knowing she was going in again. Rodyn nodded simply and looked out over the cityscape while pulling a strand of dark hair over her upperlip. Electra took the gesture as a sign of unease and emotional shut down and she was all too quick to offer,

"But who knows! I mean, we have a fair share of Victors you could not even be chosen again. You might just stay here and nothing will change." Rodyn smiled to herself as she drummed her fingers along her lips. It was amusing to hear Electra sound so hopefully convincing. She had never had a problem convincing herself of anything, Electra. All too many times she had managed to talk herself out of the deepest pain, but Rodyn wasn't like that. She was a turn and face it head on type of person. If it hurt, she'd take it. If it threatened her, she'd fight it. If it scared her, she would embrace it. Electra knew that small quirk and so she wasn't entirely surprised when Rodyn looked at her, smiling, saying,

"Oh no. I'm going back, I'll be Tribute."


	2. Chapter 2

Electra's eyes were wide in confusion. Sure Rodyn had a habit of picking fights when she saw someone in the wrong, or when Electra was being harassed by one of the factory workers, but I mean volunteering a second time for the Games was almost entirely unheard of. She always thought Rodyn was just being overtly caring when she would mutter things like "I wish they would let me volunteer" and "She's too young why can't I go again?" but there her friend sat, smiling as if she were just told it would be a bright and warm day tomorrow. Could her first round in the Games have had so little effect that Rodyn intended on rushing back to the blood soaked fields of Arenas?

"Rodyn, you can't I mean, why would you? IT's ridiculous just take the chance to stay here and stay here!" Electra said grabbing onto her friend's arm in a tight grasp. Rodyn looked at Electra's grip and then out back to the silhouetted mountains. She'd have more friends in this Year. She'd know more Tributes on a personal and friendly manner. She'd know their children's names and their wedding vows. She'd know their birthdays, their children's birthdays and in some cases grandchildren's, but if she could spare even one of those parents or grandparents a second round in the Arena she would. She had nothing here in District 5 for her. An empty house and a woman she would talk to intimately every blue moon were not things to live for. A family and a life outside of blood and war were reasons to live for.

"Wiryn has two kids now, Electra. She's a wife and mother with a handsome husband and kids not even off her apron strings yet. Nuc has just welcomed a grandson; she's riddled with arthritis and old age. So which would you prefer to go into the Arena? The young mother with an infant and toddler or the grandmother who wouldn't be able to walk but has a family here that loves her, or would it be better if I went? The woman who lives alone with one friend and a District only vaguely aware of her presence or absence?" Rodyn looked to Electra with inquisitive eyes, begging her to see the way Rodyn saw. Could Electra make the decision that Rodyn found herself in the middle of? Electra lowered her eyes knowing the right answer would be Rodyn but feeling absolutely ridiculous for weighing the lives of people she knew personally. She found herself wishing Rodyn would just have her name drawn and wouldn't have to volunteer, just so she wouldn't feel so bad knowing her friend was right. Rodyn nodded hearing the surrender in Electra's silence. "So when is the drawing?"

"One week," Electra mumbled losing all the spunk and perk she had felt moments before. Rodyn closed her eyes as that stale wind blew down from the mountains again before sighing and swinging her legs around to slide down to her porch.

"We should party now while we can then, huh?" Rodyn said grinning as she walked to her back door. Electra perked hopefully as she hurried to follow. She lived for partying, the thrill of maybe getting found by Peacekeepers or that one strangely attractive man that will either be the best decision of your life or the biggest mistake. Those were gambles Electra could make, the gambles where only her life was the one affected. She liked seeing in tunnel vision where it was just herself and those immediately close to her. She didn't have to worry about a ripple effect or repercussions. Rodyn only thought in ripple effect, she was a master in the Games because she could think four moves ahead where as other Tributes thought in their own terms and their own moves. Rodyn knew people; Rodyn knew how they worked and how they fought.

"What are you going to wear?" Electra asked excitedly hurrying ahead of Rodyn to explore one of the many large closets in the Victor's house. Rodyn didn't have a lot of things in her home, a sofa here a painting there, but what she didn't have in things she made up for in clothes. Mostly due to Electra's need to shop.

Electra pushed the sliding door aside and ran her fingers over the various shimmering and soft fabrics that made up the just of Rodyn's clothes. Rodyn wordlessly crossed to the large bed she never slept in and climbed up on the mattress to await Electra's choice in attire. It was like having her own personal stylist every day. Electra would always pick out Rodyn's outfit, fix her hair and coach her on how to do the little makeup she wore and wouldn't let her leave until she was just to Electra's liking. Rodyn didn't mind though, it was nice not having to worry if she looked right or if she'd blend in. Electra wouldn't let her leave without looking her best.

"Are you actually asking me what I'm going to wear or yourself?" Rodyn asked with an amused quirk of her eyebrow.

"Myself of course, you're incapable of dressing yourself. We both know that," Electra said as if it were the most well-known fact in the world. It was true in a way. Rodyn had always dressed for comfort and rarely looked as put together as Electra, but it was part of Rodyn's charm. She was dressed to look as she felt, safe and comfortable. She didn't see the purpose of primping and priming so people could talk to her about her clothes rather than herself, but that was the protocol for a night such as that. A night of drinking and dancing and forgetting called for a shimmering top without a back but rather thin strings connecting the side of the front fabric so it wouldn't fall or flail as she danced and tight pants that shone like polished leather. Electra held them up smiling brightly as she wiggled her hips and shoulders as if she were trying to make the ensemble look more amusing than it actually was. Rodyn smiled bright as she rocked forward to snatch the top and pants from her friend and lay them on the mattress. As Electra wandered to a poorly constructed vanity to find accessories and makeup, Rodyn began tugging the shirt she wore off revealing the few scars she had from the first Games. Electra caught a glimpse of the pale upraised flesh in the mirror and couldn't help but feel a sinking in her stomach at the thought of Rodyn going in again.

"Are you going to be a stylist one day, Electra?" Rodyn asked sweetly not at all enjoying the sudden silence that had crept up between them. She was currently topless on her bed trying to untangle the strings of her top. That and she was a bit confused as to what was considered inside-out and what was not. She scrunched up her face in annoyance as Electra smiled and hurried over to help.

"Hold your hair up," she instructed as she climbed up behind the hapless brunette. She smiled as she replied, "I'd love to be a stylist. And with all the practice you give me, I'd be the best in the Capitol." Rodyn spared a dramatic and sarcastic snort of a laugh before rolling her eyes and holding her hair up. Electra's warm fingers almost seared as they grazed across her frozen back. Rodyn was always cold as ice, only if she stayed by a fire or was embraced would she seem to warm up. Electra had often wondered if Rodyn's heart was strong enough for her, but the cold didn't seem to phase the Victor either way so Electra kept her worrying thoughts to herself best she could.

"Am I that dreadful?" Rodyn teased while jutting out her lower-lip and dragging a fingertip over her cheek to suggest a tear. Electra laughed and lightly shoved Rodyn's shoulder with a muttered,

"Shut up, you're beautiful." Rodyn smiled and adjusted the top to fit her a bit better as Electra tightened the strings around her back. Electra fell quiet for a moment before pulling Rodyn's hair down to lightly tousle with her fingers. "Are- Are you frightened?" she asked softly. Rodyn glanced over her shoulder, careful not to move her head and incur the wrath of Electra, before replying,

"Did you watch the Games when we were younger? When I was in them?"

"Of course I did, we all had to, you know that," Electra said before quickly adding, "It was a great show you put on. Best Games in a long time I'm sure." Rodyn resisted the urge to scoff. Electra was as careful not to insult the Capitol as Rodyn was not to be seen in town. She couldn't even be found with Katniss and Peeta arrived on their tour, although not many people were particularly looking.

"It wasn't a show to the people fighting for their lives," Rodyn said bitterly. She had more than a few issues with the Games as did a great many of people in the Districts, but Rodyn had the absence of self-preservation to speak her opinions. Electra paused with her hair fussing but quickly continued choosing to ignore the conversation she and Rodyn were about to have. "Didn't you even once see one of those Tributes die and just think to yourself: This is so wrong. This needs to stop?"

"No, Rodyn you can't talk like this," Electra said softly afraid someone somewhere was listening and would whisk in to take Rodyn if she breathed another word.

"Why not? I don't care," Rodyn replied simply and she didn't. Nothing would particularly change if she died. It wasn't self pity it was mere observation. Tributes died every Hunger Games, 23 of them in fact and even more at times during the Quell but did anything change? No. "Nothing changes, the Capitol doesn't make things better after 23 of its people are thrown away like trash. Even more die every day from starvation and illness but does Snow do anything about that with all the money he's 'raising' for the Districts with these Games?"

"Rodyn stop," Electra said worriedly as she began to look around, her skin crawling with nervousness at what Rodyn was saying. Rodyn didn't care though, she was going to be a Tribute in the Quell so if Snow was upset with what she was saying it would just mean the drawing would be rigged, she'd end up Tribute and he'd try to kill her in the Games. No reason to make a big scene with an execution of a Victor right before the Quell and after her decreed the Victors were in the pool.

"No, I'm tired of trying so hard for the bottom. 23 innocent people risk their lives for what? So the Capitol can sit in their surgical high horses eating too much and throwing up every five minutes to stuff their face again while kids are putting names in a death drawing over and over just for stale bread?"

"Rodyn!"

"That's why I do this, Electra!" Rodyn suddenly snapped while twisting around to look Electra n the eye. "I throw myself at the gallows because I know that if I live or if I die absolutely nothing changes, but if I do it for you or for a women with children then I am changing something for them. The whole thing of the Games is nothing more than rich men pissing on the poor's plight for survival. They want a real horror show they should take those millions of dollars spent on Arenas and turn those cameras to the war front that is the Districts! To the children starving in the streets and the men dying in mines and infant being born so ill their first breath is their last! That's horrible! That's the real survival game! Not this shit so do what you want but I will not be the one to stand here and pretend this is alright and for a greater good that doesn't ever seem to come!"

"Rodyn stop!" Electra said fiercely, her voice reaching a tone that demanded obedience and instantly hushed Rodyn's rebellious tongue. Rodyn's eyes were on fire as she stared into Electra's cool pools of icy blue, but neither of them would back down from their views. Neither would apologize for words exchanged because both were too stubborn to see anything but their own truths. "You can't say things like that! Ever!"

"Why not? I don't care!"

"Because it's wrong!" Electra yelled. She sat up on her knees so she was higher than Rodyn, giving her a perceived edge even though both women knew if it came to blows Rodyn would have Electra beat within mere seconds. "The Capitol is doing this to save us. They're protecting us."

"I watched my brother's insides pour out of him," Rodyn said with a voice steady as stone but her eyes glistening, "He was seventeen, Electra. He was seventeen and had his chest ripped open for the viewing pleasure of men and women that didn't know him. Who is that protecting?" Rodyn's tone was practically begging for an answer. She had never been able to get over losing her brother in the very Games she volunteered for. The entire District had gone mute the night Newton was killed, the night Rodyn killed four people in as many hours seeking vengeance on witnessing the brutal slaying of the only family she had in District 5.

But Electra didn't have an answer that would satisfy Rodyn. There was nothing she could say that would take that endless ache Rodyn faced day after day knowing her brother was dead. Rodyn would never see the sense in the Games and in Electra's blind trust, but Electra could pull Rodyn into a tight hug as the tears finally fell on silent lips.

The two would never make it to the dance room that night. They would never get out of Rodyn's room, but they would find solace in each other. Their friendship would become stronger as the night faded to early morning hours.


End file.
